This invention relates to mechanisms that latch a harvesting assembly to a combine vehicle.
Agricultural combine vehicles operate to harvest crops at the front of the vehicle and then transport the harvested crops rearwardly into the body of the combine vehicle for further processing. These combine vehicles are provided with a harvesting assembly that is attached to the front of the combine vehicle. Different harvesting assemblies can be attached to the front of the combine for harvesting different crops. For example, a harvesting assembly known as a cutting platform can be attached to the front of the combine for harvesting wheat. A harvesting assembly known as a corn head can be attached for harvesting corn.
It is known to provide latching mechanisms which serve to attach or fix the harvesting assemblies to the front of combine vehicles. The latching mechanisms have included shiftable pins carried by the combine which shift outwardly to engage holes in the harvesting assembly. The pins within the holes fix the harvesting assembly to the combine vehicle. Some combines require the operator to engage each pin separately by walking to each side of the combine to manually shift each pin with a separate operation. Another type of combine provides a latching mechanism that allows an operator to retract the pins simultaneously by engaging a linkage while standing on one side of the vehicle. Other combines provide other systems that do not utilize pins for securing or latching the harvesting assembly to the combine for harvesting operations.
Many harvesting assemblies include mechanisms that are hydraulically driven by a hydraulic system carried by the combine. Hydraulic lines extend forwardly from the combine""s hydraulic system. Hydraulic lines on the harvesting assembly must be attached to the appropriate hydraulic lines on the combine so that the harvesting assembly will be hydraulically connected to and driven by the combine""s hydraulic system. Some combines require that several hydraulic lines from the combine be separately manually attached by the operator to respective hydraulic lines on the harvesting assembly. Other combines provide multicouplers or gang couplers which serve to couple several hydraulic lines from the combine with the plurality of corresponding hydraulic lines on the harvesting assembly. This reduces the time required of the operator to hydraulically connect the various hydraulic lines, because they are all connected in a single operation as the two halves of the multicoupler are secured together.
Some combines also provide electrical power to the harvesting assemblies for allowing the harvesting assembly to perform certain functions, such as operate turn signals or warning lights on the harvesting assembly. With some combines the operator is required to manually attach the electrical lines and then manually attach the hydraulic lines. Other combines provide multicouplers having two halved into which the ends of the electrical lines from the harvesting assembly and the combine extend. When the two halves of the multicoupler are brought together the electrical lines become electrically coupled together in proper fashion. These multicouplers thereby serve to couple the electrical lines simultaneous with the connection of the hydraulic lines as the two halves of the multicoupler are secured together.
The operation of switching harvesting assemblies includes the steps of detaching the hydraulic and electrical lines, unlatching the latching mechanism and then physically removing the harvesting assembly from the combine vehicle. The operator must then physically attach the other harvesting assembly to the combine vehicle, engage the latching mechanism, and then attach the hydraulic lines and electrical lines.
It would be desirable to provide a mechanism that simplifies the changeover operation for the operator, and that reduces the time required of the operator to perform the changeover operation.
The present invention provides an agricultural combine with a mechanism for attaching a harvesting assembly to the combine. A multicoupler is provided which operatively connects hydraulic lines on the combine with hydraulic lines on the harvesting assembly when in a connected mode, and which disconnect said hydraulic lines when in an unconnected mode. A latching mechanism is provided which mechanically couples the harvesting assembly to the combine. The latching mechanism is operatively connected with the multicoupler to shift between latched and unlatched modes as the multicoupler is shifted between the connected and unconnected modes.
The multicoupler according to the present invention includes two halves which are secured together as an operator shifts a lever. A push pull cable extends between the latching mechanism and the lever for shifting the latching mechanism between the latched and unlatched modes as the lever is shifted to change the multicoupler between the connected and unconnected modes.